Danone Plans for Global Expansion of Plant-Based Foods

French multinational company Danone announced last week that it completed its $12.5 billion acquisition of WhiteWave Foods—parent company of plant-based brands Silk, So Delicious, Vega, and Alpro. The brand will form a business strategy unit in North America under a new name, “DanonWave.” In Europe, Danone plans to use its new Alpro brand—a leading maker of plant-based products—to expand globally. “Danone and WhiteWave are a perfect match to build a global leader leveraging consumer trends and expectations for healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking choices,” Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber said. Earlier this month, Danone agreed to sell its top dairy brand Stonyfield in an effort to wipe out unfair competition between its newly acquired plant-based brands. Companies historically focused on dairy products have recently shifted to capturing their stake in the growing plant-based sector, as evidenced by several Unilever brands—including Ben & Jerry’s, Talenti, and Breyers—that launched vegan ice cream lines within the last year.